​Kanye says ‘DONDA 2’ will only be available on his $200 Stem Player

Kanye West has revealed that his forthcoming LP ‘DONDA 2’ won’t be available in any of the usual streaming spots, instead, listeners can only access it via the DONDA Stem Player.

Last year, Ye released the Stem Player alongside his August-released album, ‘DONDA’. For a $200 price tag, the player allows users to “customise any song”, with the ability to control “vocals, drums, bass, and samples.”

Although the player was released in conjunction with last year’s LP, the record also appeared on all streaming platforms, although it looks like ‘DONDA 2’ won’t get the same worldwide release.

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“‘DONDA 2’ will only be available on my own platform, the Stem Player, not on Apple Amazon Spotify or YouTube. Today artists get just 12% of the money the industry makes,” said Kanye on Instagram.

“It’s time to free music from this oppressive system. It’s time to take control and build our own,” he added alongside a video with a teaser of the record playing from the DONDA Stem Player.

The next record is due for release on February 22, with a promised "DONDA Experience Performance" that same day at LoanDepot Park in Miami.

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Ye also posted a picture of the ‘DONDA 2’ tracklist shortly after, scribbled onto a sheet of paper. On it are the titles of 21 new tracks, although the rapper didn’t add the names of any featuring artists.

Kanye has a history of unconventional album release methods, with his last record released slowly through multiple streaming parties and live events. When the record finally appeared months after its original release date, Kanye argued that it was released without his permission.

“Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked ‘Jail 2’ from being on the album,” he shared on social media after its release in August 2021.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter